About
Our mission is to strengthen conservation policy and practice, to benefit biodiversity and people, through world-class research and training.
About
A note from our namesake
This institute represents a marriage between ecology and conservation: the science that tells you how the world works, and the science that tells you how to keep it working. At long last.
Gerald Durrell, 24th November, 1989
Our history
DICE was founded in 1989. Since then, over 2000 students from 110 countries have passed through our doors, and we have raised more than £34 million for conservation training, capacity building and research. Our work continues in over 60 countries around the world.
1989
DICE founded at the University of Kent
Our name was chosen in recognition of Gerald Durrell’s lifelong commitment to conservation. His widow, Lee Durrell, continues to be an Advisory Board member, and we maintain strong links with the Durrell organisation based on Jersey.
1990
Our early programmes
DICE’s early activities sought to widen participation through offering a Diploma in Ecology and a Diploma in Raptor Biology, as well as in establishing a research and consultancy programme.
1991
Master's programme launched
Many early DICE diplomats continued their careers in UK conservation. However, DICE moved to consolidate its international mission, opening a Master's programme which has since trained more than 1,000 students in over 100 countries.
1997
The UK's first undergraduate course
DICE opened its undergraduate programme in 1997, the first of its kind in the UK. This programme has since trained over 800 UK and international students.
2002
DICE hosts the first ICCB held in Europe
The 2002 International Congress for Conservation Biology was hosted by DICE at the University of Kent. It was the first time the event had ever been held in Europe.
1999
DICE celebrates 10 years of conservation research and training
DICE maintains its commitment to the ideals set out at its founding ‘to fuse the accumulated experience of practical conservation projects and state of the art biological science with realistic perspectives of economics and the social sciences’.
2017
DICE awarded £1.6 million by ERC
A £1.6 million grant from the European Research Council was awarded to DICE for interdisciplinary research on a project called RELATE, which looked into how nature underpins human wellbeing.
2019
DICE awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize
DICE received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for “pioneering education, capacity building and research in global nature conservation to protect species and ecosystems, and benefit people”.
2020
Leverhulme Tropical Defaunation Hub established
DICE was awarded £1 million to launch the Leverhulme Tropical Defaunation Hub, to better understand wildlife population changes across Indonesia and its impacts on environmental and social change.
2021
DICE ranked 1st in the UK for research output
DICE is committed to high-quality, practical, applied conservation research. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), we ranked 1st in the UK for the quality of our publications, in the Geography & Environmental Studies panel.
January 2024
Burnett Scholarship scheme launched
Funded by a £1.5 million donation from the Notsew Orm Sands Foundation, the Burnett Scholarship supports mid-career conservationists from southern Africa through Master’s scholarships at DICE, and ranger training at a wildlife college.
March 2024
Leverhulme 'Space for Nature' scholarships launched
This doctoral scholars scheme was launched to provide fully funded MSc and PhD scholarships on multifunctional landscapes and conservation, with £2.2 million from the Leverhulme Trust to support individuals from under-served backgrounds.
August 2024
DICE awarded £8.3 million from Research England
DICE was awarded £8.3 million from Research England’s Expanding Excellence in England fund (E3) to design and implement conservation solutions in multifunctional land and seascapes. This project informs habitat recovery locally and across the globe.
November 2024
DICE celebrates 35 years and launches Sharing Space for Nature
The official launch of E3 Sharing Space for Nature was celebrated at the 35th anniversary event for DICE.
2025
DICE awarded £948,000 grant for avian research
DICE was awarded £948,000 from UKRI’s NERC to launch a 3.5-year research project on avian disease, which will identify signatures of viral resistance and susceptibility in host genomes to help guide parrot conservation worldwide.